Family Fun Fridays Not So Much Fun

     “No matter how much you whine, Aurora, we’re still going. It’s my turn to pick what we do today and I want to go fishing. We all had to go shopping with you last week anyway for Family Fun Fridays, so stop being such a whiner,” Maddie retorted.

     Kitty walked in then and started scanning the room over her pets’ heads for something. Their teenage owner had long brown hair and blue eyes, and was about normal height but the most remarkable trait she had was how much she lost things.

     “Have any of you guys seen my purse?” she asked as she threw all the pillows off the couch. “It’s big and white and has all my neopoints in it,” she described as she began shuffling through her writing notes on the coffee table.

     “Umm, Mom, have you checked the fridge?” Ty asked innocently. Kitty stopped for a moment, looked at Ty, and then ran into the kitchen.

     “Aha!” They all heard before the slam of the refrigerator door. Kitty walked out of the kitchen, fingering some neopoints.

     “I hope the bank doesn’t mind some freezer-burned neopoints,” Kitty said with a smile. She then walked over and sat down on the couch, all the pillows still on the floor. “Okay, so I have to swing by the shop to empty out the till first, then we can go fishing, and afterwards we’ll hit Pizzaroo and the bank. Sound good, Maddie?” Kitty asked the Disco Eyrie. Maddie nodded her head and grinned.

     “Okay, let’s go!” Kitty exclaimed as she lead the way out of the living room. Aurora sighed audibly as she followed her family out of the house.

     *

     “How’s business, Bella?” Kitty asked as she walked into the store, a familiar bell jingling as the door closed behind Ty. The Faerie Buzz looked up from her book and smiled.

     “It’s been pretty good, Ms. Kitty. Your last restock brought in a few more customers than usual, and the till hasn’t been touched since you came in a month ago,” the Faerie Buzz said as she marked a place in her book and pushed it aside. Kitty grimaced slightly as Aurora started to wander around the shop.

     “Well, I came to pick up the till before my pets and I headed out for a trip,” Kitty answered. Maddie beamed as Kitty walked behind the counter and punched her pin into the till safe. The door popped open and Kitty gave a slight gasp.

     “Whoa, I knew some of the items I had restocked were good, but I didn’t expect this much,” Kitty said before she started taking neopoints out of the till. Ty glanced over from the counter to see Aurora perusing through the bin of toys in the corner of the store. The Island Gelert then began to slowly slink along the store floor until he was directly behind Aurora, and then crouched.

     “BOO!” Ty yelled at the top of his lungs, jumping up at the same time. Aurora turned around and shrieked. She then looked down and found Ty doubled over with laughter.

     “Ty! You scared the mootixes out of me!” Aurora exclaimed. Ty looked up, tears coming out of his eyes.

     “You totally... deserved it... though,” Ty sputtered before laughing again. Aurora turned to see Kitty getting up with a slightly heavier purse than before.

     “Alright, guys, let’s hit the road. Bella, if you want to close the shop early, you can,” Kitty said with a smile. Bella smiled back, reaching over for her book.

     “Thank you very much, Ms. Kitty. I think I’ll do just that,” Bella said as she started rummaging under the counter. Kitty started towards the door as Aurora ran up to her.

     “Mom, did you see what Ty did to me?” Aurora asked, starting to tear up. Kitty looked down at Aurora and shrugged.

     “You probably had it coming, Aurora. I heard you whining before we even left the house. Anyway, we have to catch the next ferry to Maraqua, so we need to hurry,” Kitty remarked as she stepped out into Neopia Central. Aurora huffed and glanced behind her to see Bella putting a “closed” sign up in the shop’s front window. Aurora lagged behind her brother as they made their way to the docks. It was going to be a long ferry ride to Maraqua...

     *

     “Finally! I didn’t know if I could stand being on that ferry a minute longer!” Kitty exclaimed as they walked along the board walk to the bait shop. Aurora felt the same way as well. She had endured an entire ferry ride of Kitty trying to strike up a conversation with her and people pointing at her and asking Kitty if they could transfer her for the Pink avatar (which they had always wanted to have).

     It was humiliating having to endure any family trip, but fishing? Anything you caught at the Underground Fishing Cavern stank and most of the people fishing there were eating the items they caught straight off their fishing poles. It’s barbaric, to say the least, thought Aurora. She was not happy that she had to be involved in such an activity.

     “Mom, do I have to be here?” Aurora whined to Kitty. Maddie sighed and shook her head, then looked over at Ty and stuck her tongue out.

     “Yes Aurora, you have to be here. If you weren’t here, then Family Fun Fridays wouldn’t be Family Fun Fridays because we wouldn’t be doing things as a family,” Kitty explained exasperatedly. “Now, here’s your fishing pole. Go sit out on the jetty and think about how you’re behaving on your sister’s day out,” Kitty said as she handed Aurora a fishing pole. Aurora started to mutter under her breath as she stomped out onto the jetty and sat down. She didn’t have as high of a fishing level as her sister, but she at least had a higher level than her brother. With a well aimed cast, her fishing line went out to the edge of the cavern, and then Aurora sat back.

     Ty came out on the jetty a moment later with his fishing pole and sat down on the other side of the pier. Maddie and Kitty sat down next to Ty, each casting their lines, and Kitty took out a book to read because she couldn’t fish with them. The first few minutes Aurora just glanced around the cavern and watched the other fishers casting and catching items. Then Aurora glanced behind her and saw her family, all sitting side by side, with Kitty’s white purse unguarded at the very end of the line. Aurora stared at the white purse and glance around to see if anyone was watching her. Kitty had always been absentminded with all her things, especially her purse.

      For Fyora’s sake, she found her purse in the refrigerator before we left, Aurora thought to herself as she watched Kitty turn a page in her book. She won’t miss it for a little while, she reasoned with herself. Suddenly Aurora felt a tug on her line.

     “Hey, I’ve got something!” Aurora exclaimed. Kitty turned around to watch Aurora fish out a bag of broken neopoints.

     “Good job, Aurora. Here, you can put them in my purse if you want to,” Kitty said as she handed her purse to Aurora and then turned back to her book. Aurora opened the purse, dumped the broken neopoints in, and then closed it. Aurora continued to look down at the white purse in her hands and then finally back at her family. I deserve a little time to myself, after the way they’ve treated me. And anyway, I’ll be back before they even notice I’m gone, Aurora thought to herself, a smile curling onto her face.

     “Mom, I’m going to the bait shop for some more bait,” Aurora announced. Kitty nodded her head without looking up.

     “Sure, go ahead,” Kitty said, turning another page in her book.

     “Thanks Mom,” Aurora answered, clutching Kitty’s purse as she ran down the jetty and across the board walk. As she got to the mouth of the cavern, Aurora looked back to see if she was being followed. Her family was in the exact spot that she had left them in, with Kitty turning another page in her book. This is just too easy, Aurora thought as she stepped out of the cavern into the sunshine streaming through the water.

     Soon Aurora was walking down the streets of Maraqua, looking through shop windows and the residential homes. Ten minutes later, Aurora was in front of a squat blue building with a grey shell for a roof, complete with purple doors. Aurora felt the weight of Kitty’s purse one more time before walking into the waiting room of the restaurant. A Maraquan Scorchio in a maroon suit with a green bow tie looked up from his podium and smiled.

     “Welcome to Kelp, madam. How may I help you?” the host asked Aurora.

     “Umm, yes, a table for one please,” Aurora answered, clutching Kitty’s purse tighter.

     “What name?” the host asked, opening a large book on the podium before looking at Aurora again.

     “What?” Aurora asked bewildered.

     The Maraquan Scorchio gave her a suspicious look before answering, “What name will I find your reservation under?”

     “Uhh.... Kittybutterscotch?” Aurora guessed after a moment. The Maraquan Scorchio searched through the book before looking up.

     “Are you related to Ms. Kittybutterscotch?” the host inquired, surveying the Pink Kougra.

     “I’m her pet, Aurora,” she answered back, straightening her Blue Feepit T-shirt. The Maraquan Scorchio glanced back down to his ledger and nodded.

     “Welcome to Kelp, Ms. Aurora! We didn’t expect you until later this evening but this is a pleasant surprise. Beatrice,” the host called. A Maraquan Uni came over a moment later. “Will you please direct Ms. Aurora to a table for one?” The Maraquan Uni nodded and waved Aurora over.

     “This way, please,” the Maraquan Uni instructed after she grabbed a menu from the podium and began to walk further into the restaurant. Aurora followed behind her, astonished that she was actually getting into Kelp. She swung Kitty’s purse over her shoulder absentmindedly, making it look like it actually belonged to her. It was about five o’clock in the afternoon, so there weren’t many occupied tables. But the tables that were occupied had well painted and dressed neopets. Aurora continued to pull on her Feepit shirt as a Royal Girl Shoyru glanced over to Aurora and sneered. The Maraquan Uni Beatrice continued to lead Aurora to a table in the back of the restaurant, handed her the menu she had been carrying, and then waited for Aurora to make a selection.

     Aurora had never been to Kelp before, so everything on the menu sounded new and exotic to her. The front of the menu that Beatrice had given her had appetizers, the other side was drinks.

     Trying to sound posh, Aurora only glanced over the menu before announcing, “I would like to have an Ocean Delight Salad.” Aurora then flipped the menu over and perused the drink side, “And a Thornberry Brew.” Beatrice nodded and took the menu back.

     “Your selection will be ready momentarily,” the Maraquan Uni said as she gave Aurora another menu and then left the table. Aurora sat back and started to look at the lavish decorations, listened to the quiet chatter of the nearby tables, and gave a content sigh. Now this is what we should have done today, Aurora thought to herself. She then started to read the menu that the Maraquan Uni had left her. It looked exactly like the first one Beatrice had given her but on one side the menu was labeled Main Courses and the other side was labeled Desserts. As Aurora scanned the menu, a Maraquan Draik came to the table carrying a platter.

     “One Ocean Delight Salad and one Thornberry Brew,” the Maraquan Draik announced as he set the platter down on the table. The Thornberry Brew fizzed slightly and the salad was dripping with sauce. Aurora could feel her mouth watering as the Maraquan Draik waited by the table.

     “What would you like for your main course, madam?” the Maraquan Draik inquired after a few moments of silence. Aurora put her posh attitude back on as she handed the menu to the waiter.

     “I would like to have some Stramberry Sausages and a Triple Chocolate Shell for dessert please,” Aurora said as her eyes flickered towards Kitty’s purse warily. The Maraquan Draik bowed and nodded.

     “Your selection will be out shortly with the check,” he said before he left with the platter. After the Maraquan Draik was gone, Aurora reached for Kitty’s purse and started to dig through it. She found Kitty’s wallet and quickly opened it.

     “Whoa,” Aurora gasped as she started to count out the neopoints. She would have more than enough to pay for dinner, which gave her the idea of going shopping around Maraqua central afterwards...

     “There you are!” Aurora heard someone shout. She looked up to see Kitty standing with her arms crossed, looking furious at the entrance of the table area. Maddie and Ty cowered behind her legs. Aurora could only stare in fear as Kitty crossed the room in a few long strides.

     “Auroriss Lindsey Butterscotch, what in Fyora’s name are you doing?” Kitty asked using Aurora’s full name, her voice unusually low. All Aurora could do was stare at Kitty, cowering slightly. Just then the Maraquan Draik came back with another platter. It was the Stramberry Sausages and Triple Chocolate Shell Aurora had ordered from before. He set it down on Aurora’s table, not noticing Kitty’s angry stare or Maddie and Ty’s scared glances.

     “Here is your check, madam, please pay it when you are ready,” the Maraquan Draik instructed, handing Aurora a slip of paper before swimming away. Kitty reached across the table and snatched the check out of Aurora’s paw. Her mouth dropped open.

     “Sixty-five thousand neopoints?! Aurora, you have GOT to be kidding me!” Kitty shouted again, drawing all the attention of the room to Aurora’s table. Aurora slipped down her seat a little, trying to become invisible. Kitty then grabbed the shoulder of a passing Maraquan Uni, stopping her in her tracks.

     “I would like to pay the check now please,” she said in a fierce voice, grabbing her purse off the table and opening it roughly. Aurora peered over at her siblings and saw Maddie silently crying.

     “Okay, let’s go,” Kitty commanded after she was done paying. She pulled Aurora out of her seat and walked her out of the restaurant, the Maraquan Scorchio watching them go.

     “Have a good evening,” he called after them. Kitty could only look back at him, scowling.

     *

     “Aurora, I don’t even know where to begin,” Kitty started. They were back at the house, with Aurora sitting on the couch, and Kitty pacing back and forth in front of the coffee table. The couch pillows still littered the floor from earlier.

     “You disobeyed me, first, by running off like that. You then stole my purse, which I still can’t believe you did, and then you used my neopoints to buy yourself the most expensive dinner you could! Did you know that I made reservations for us to go to Kelp after we were done fishing to get dessert?! Well, of course you know, that’s how you got in,” Kitty said, the last part more to herself than to Aurora. “And you know what the worst thing you did today? You ruined your sister’s trip out. This trip was not about you or what you wanted to do, it was about your sister, and I know you couldn’t stand it. Aurora, I just... I just don’t understand how selfish you can be sometimes.” Kitty finished. Aurora continued to stare at the floor, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. Kitty sighed and ran a hand through her long brunette hair.

     “What you did today was wrong, Aurora, and you have to know that,” Kitty said with a sigh. “So, here are your punishments. First, you are not going to get your weekly allowance back until the combined total of all your allowances add up to how much you owe me for that dinner you had. Second, you are grounded for one month. It’s only going to neoschool and back from now on. At the end of one month, if I don’t see a change in your attitude towards me and your siblings, I’m going to add one more month. I will continually add a month until I see a change; I don’t care if you’re grounded for a year if it comes to it. Aurora, you need to understand your siblings are not here to do your bidding. I am not here to do your bidding. This family does not revolve around you, and neither does Neopia. The sooner you get that through your head the better. And thirdly, if the family decides to go on any more trips while you're grounded, Maddie will decide if you will join us or not. And I’m going to tell you from my observations right now, that isn’t going to be any time soon. I hope you enjoyed your day out, Aurora, it seems like it’s going to be your last one for a long time. Now, please go to your room. I need to... eat something and lie down,” Kitty finished, walking into the kitchen. Aurora slowly got up from the couch, wiping the tears from her face.

     “Oh, and Aurora?” Kitty called after her. The Pink Kougra turned around to face Kitty, who was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen.

     “You need to go apologize to Maddie for what you did. She’s really torn up about today,” Kitty said before backing into the kitchen. “It’s just a suggestion.”

     Aurora made her way through the house until she got to her bedroom door. Maddie’s door was right beside hers, which made her stop. She could hear the sound of muffled crying through it. Suddenly Aurora stood up straight, wiped the rest of her tears away, and knocked on the door.

     “Who is it?” Maddie asked through the door, her voice quivering.

     “It’s me,” the Pink Kougra whispered.

     “Go away. I don’t want to talk to you,” Maddie yelled through the door, her voice breaking. Aurora sighed and leaned up against her sister’s door.

     “I just wanted to say I’m sorry... about today,” Aurora said with a pause.

     It was silent for a few minutes before Maddie answered through the door. “Please, just leave me alone.”

     Aurora sighed in response and knocked on the door absentmindedly. She then walked over to her own door and went into her room. She glanced around the cloud room, the furniture covered in pink sparkles and the boy band posters plastered onto the walls.

     “Welcome home,” Aurora whispered to herself as she shuffled over to her bed and flopped down on top of it. It was going to be a long month, just like that ferry ride. But at least Kitty wouldn’t try to start conversations with her until next week, thank Fyora.

The End

Author’s Note: When I was writing this story, Maddiedaylay was a Disco Eyrie, but she’s my lab pet, so she probably will have changed by the time this story is published. Anyway, comments always appreciated. Happy reading!